Vision crutches

[Fluesheet]

Right when the clock struck 40, my near vision started getting challenging - just like the professionals said it would.

Initially, an optivisor and good light (sometimes neither if I was well rested) was all I needed. However, a couple years later I'm finding that my nearest focus point is continuing to move away from me. I find myself, for example, letting my eyes go out of focus when taking notes at work - and that's about two feet away. So basically, it's now interfering with my day to day life.

What have others found to address this change?

Bifocals seem like the obvious solution, but I wear contacts daily to correct pretty significant nearsightedness. Because of this, bi-focals seem a little redundant as half of the lens would have no prescription! (Correct me if this is not an unusual situation).

The other solution I'm aware of is to wear lenses with two different prescriptions - one to completely correct my far vision, the other with a slightly less strong correction to use for near vision.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[ezdays]

Yes, I remember that clock tick. I remember going to the eye doctor and asking him why I had to hold everything at arms length to read it. He asked how old I was and when I said I was 40, he said, "that's why". Lots of thing deteriorate as you get older, the eyes are usually the first. I'd rather not discuss what else, but suffice to say that it takes me four times as long to do half the work, and I hurt one heck of a lot more than I used to when I'm finished. :cry::cry:

I think your eye doctor is the one that can answer you better than anyone, because even if someone else did something else, it wouldn't mean that it would work in your case. The doctor has the equipment and the knowledge, that's why I keep a bunch of them on my payroll. I got an opthalmologist, a gastrointestinologist, a couple of cardiologists, an orthopedic surgeon, a urologist, a chiropractor and a GP physician. We let the obstetrician go a few years ago, especially since I didn't think that Medicare was going to pay for one anymore.

Growing old isn't all that it's cracked up to be, but it's far better than the alternative, so we accept what does work and hope it hangs in there while we still need it...sign1 sign1

Good luck, I hope you get a workable solution.

 

[Torpedo]

My only pair of bifocals lasted exactly one week, then I sat on them. That was 20 years ago. I hated them so much that I never got another pair. I now go around with three pair of glasses: distance, computer, and reading. The distance and computer are prescription, while I buy the readers (1.25's) off the rack. I have a couple of stronger pairs for doing close up work. I also use the Optivisor and a bright lamp.

It's not 20/20, but my distance vision isn't awful. The last time I took the driver's test, I was able to pass the vision part without my specs--barely. I don't think I will be able to do that in the future. I'm into my sixties, and it ain't getting any better.

According to my ophthalmologist, the readers can't hurt my vision, although as I age, the difference between my eyes will make it harder and harder to read comfortably without prescription reading glasses. I am almost to that point, so I will soon have to break down and buy a third type of prescription glasses.

Changing glasses all the time, which is what I do, is a real pain, but I am determined not to go back to bifocals, let alone trifocals.

It sucks getting old, but as EzDays pointed out, the alternative sucks a lot worse.

 

[zedob]

Hmmm, sounds familiar. I don't wear glasses, but I do have reading glasses, which I don't ever use. They have a string, but I keep putting them down and forgetting them, so I never have them when I really need 'em. I see it coming (pun intended), the day that I need to go visit the optomotrist.

For super close up work I use a pair of high quality loupes, or a stereo microscope. I have the loupes because of the work I do (dental lab tech), but I really don't care for them. They are way too heavy. I prefer the microscope over the loupes by far. I wouldn't expect any modelers to go out and buy a microscope, but I'd recomend the cheap loupes if one doesn't have any.

 

[60103]

I've been wearing glasses (myopia) since about the age of 8. (I'm 60 now.) Went to a party some years ago and we had a table of mid-40isn people and discussed bifocals all night.
I have a continuous bifocal for one eye and I hate it. The reading section is so far down that I get a crick in my neck, so I look over the top. I'm going to ask the Opt. next time about pure reading/computer glasses. Other eye had retinal detachment followed by cataract so it would be good if I didn't have a crease in the retina.

 

[Fluesheet]

Good insights, all, especially regarding bifocals. While I'm not looking forward to carrying around glasses, it may be that that is the best solution.

I am going to the opthamologist soon for my annual check up. Previously I was given a prescription for reading glasses, but decided not to go down that path at that time. I think that time is now here, however.

The other thing I'm going to ask about is getting my eyes corrected (lasic) to be slightly short-sighted (myopic), which will serve for reading at night, etc. I am currently not only very nearsighted without contacts, but my eyes are also significantly different from one another, which makes working and reading without glasses difficult. With that course, I'd probably need glasses for driving and maybe a second set for pistol shooting (I shoot informal competitive bullseye). I'm trying to find the best way to be with the least corrective appliances!

 

[Jim Krause]

I've been using bifocal and trifocal glasses for many years. I don't like them at all. Before I retired, I had to have a special pair of trifocals made so I could read the engine instruments when I was running engines on planes. Otherwise I had to get my head down within about a foot of the instrument panel. I've found that I have to take my glasses off now if I want to be able to work on models. I think I'm about due to convert to 1:1 scale in order to see the small parts.

 

[N Gauger]

Jim I went from N to G (1:20.3) all at once..... same reason

As far as the bi-focals - Matt - I have worn "Progressives" for 5 - 6 years now... (Tri-focals with No lines) Also they darken in sunlight - they take some getting used to - but I can tilt my head and bring "anything" into focus... Really Cool!!!! I have 2 different prescriptions for each lens - they tailor made the lenses for each eye.. Truly helped a Lot!!!!!!

 

[Fluesheet]

As far as the bi-focals - Matt - I have worn "Progressives" for 5 - 6 years now... (Tri-focals with No lines) Also they darken in sunlight - they take some getting used to - but I can tilt my head and bring "anything" into focus... Really Cool!!!! I have 2 different prescriptions for each lens - they tailor made the lenses for each eye.. Truly helped a Lot!!!!!!

I guess I won't rule out multi-focal glasses just yet then!

 

[Pitchwife]

One note to make about bifocals. Several years ago when I got my first pair the bottom focal length ended at about 12" and the top focal length started at about 18". This left a blind spot where I couldn't focus on anything between those distances. Since then I have gone with the no line type and after getting used to them have been happy with the results. Don't know if anyone else has had that problem but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[Mountain Man]

I did, and went the same route - no-line progressive bifocals, the vision of choice for the Superman of yesterday! Growing old is truly depressing at times... On the other hand, you can successfully remember things the youth of today never even heard of! The best comeback of all is to mention something truly neat, see the look of bewilderment, and simply say..."You're too young to know about it", implying that your age has granted you admittance to a world far larger and nmore grand that what is available to mere callow youth. Anyway, that's how I ususally rationalize my less-than-ecstasy- and the aging process.

One other option available is a set of trifocals with a specific small spot for close-up vision. I worked with a guy who had a set made for computer work. He had trouble getting hmself the right distance from his screen for his bifocals to work, so he had his optician make a set with a small spot up the top of each lens that forcused at screen distance.

I usually just do what I can, then push my glasses up onto my forehead and use my normal near vision - really near vison - to do the super close-up work. I can work comfortably on small items from 6" - 12" away in fine detail that way.

My hardest problem thorugh the years has been overhead work, since the bifocal uses the upper lens for distant vision, and my own eyes don't give me a clear shot either. Fortunately, I dont have to do a lot of that anymore.

I guess now we all know why cavemen never lived much beyond the late thirties - eyes got bad and couldn't see what was coming.